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Archive for the ‘Audio Recordings’ Category

April Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in 220, Audio Recordings, School Districts, Special Use Permits, Village Code, Zoning Board on May 2, 2016| 1 Comment »

The Zoning Board of Appeals held two public hearings at their April 18th meeting.  The first was a continuation of the application for a permit for a small addition to the rectory of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Ridge Road, and the second was a new petition by Consolidated Unit School District 220 for an outdoor basketball court and a new sign at Countryside Elementary School.

The St. Mark’s hearing lasted just over an hour with little discussion of the proposed addition and most centering on improvements made by the church to septic systems and installation of new efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water usage.  These improvements seemed to satisfy board members that sufficient measures have been taken to alleviate runoff issues that have occurred in the past, and they voted unanimously to approve the construction of a screened porch.

Countryside SignNext, during the second hearing, a representative of District 220 presented plans to construct an outdoor asphalt basketball court of the east side of Countryside School that is being funded by the school PTO and the Barrington Hills Park District, though it is unclear what the ratio of investment is.  The district also is planning to install a new sign on the County Line Road frontage (inset left) similar to signs at other district schools.  It was emphasized both will be non-illuminated, and with relatively little discussion by the board, the plans were approved unanimously.

The menu of edited recordings by agenda items from the meeting can be accessed here.

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March Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Zoning Board on March 24, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Audio recordings from the March 16th Zoning Board of Appeals meeting are available for review on the Village website.  Board members had three matters before them that evening, but only two were discussed and decided. 

The first item on the agenda, a variance for an addition to the rectory at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, was continued until the April meeting since only five members of the board were present, and one was abstaining since he is a member of the church.  With only four voting members, the matter would have required a unanimous vote, and a representative of the church accepted the chair’s offer to table the matter.

The application to allow a berm to be constructed from the Paganica homeowner association was approved as was a petition to construct an addition to a residence on Ridge Road.  In both cases the votes were unanimous.

To access the menu of edited recordings by topic from the meeting, click here.

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February Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Commercial Horse Boarding, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Lighting Ordinance, Special Use Permits, Village Code, Zoning Board on February 26, 2016| 1 Comment »

The Zoning Board of Appeals had a relatively full agenda when they met on February 17th, including two public hearings on special use permit applications, review and approval of the official 2016 Village Zoning Map, and a general discussion of how to better address various special events that occur in Barrington Hills.

The first special use application heard was for a back-lit lettered LED sign and cross mounted on the northwestern face of the Barrington United Methodist Church located at 98 Algonquin Rd.  The sign was desired to better help those unfamiliar with the area to locate the church at night.

The sign was approved, and if approved by the Board of Trustees, it will be the first of its kind in Barrington Hills on a structure.  The recording of the public hearing can be heard here, and the discussion and vote by the board can be heard here.

Another special use application was presented by representatives of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church at 337 Ridge Rd. for an addition of a small screened porch to the church’s rectory.  The permit was required due to a needed setback variation. 

The matter was tabled until the March meeting after discussion turned to some ongoing drainage and septic issues in the general area, and board members wished to look into those matters before deciding on the permit.  That public hearing recording can be accessed here.

Board members then went through the ritual of approving the yearly official zoning map, but it was not unanimous, and was the subject of debate on if it accurately depicts R-1 zoning in the Village as can be heard here.

The board then began to consider how the Village might draft or better define codes related to the variety of special events held on private properties in the Village throughout the year, as can be heard here.

The menu of edited recordings by agenda topic from the full two and a half hour meeting can be accessed here.

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November Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Land Use, Legal Expenses, Village Code, Zoning Board on November 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The recordings from the November 16th Zoning Board of Appeals meeting have been posted to the Village website for review.

Five people made public comments at the beginning of the meeting.  Two had nothing to do with the matter before the Board that night, two pertained to the issue to be considered, and one had us scratching our heads attempting to discern what the point was, if any.

Pro-TemGohlThe rather obtuse comments made by Trustee Fritz Gohl can be heard here.  Should any readers be able to guess exactly what he was trying to say, please enlighten the rest of us, since we are completely at a loss to explain.

When the board members then took up the business before them, Mary Dickson, the attorney assigned to the ZBA, shed some light on the situation regarding the matter as it related to our Village Codes of the repaired shed that was continued from the October meeting. 

In approximately thirty minutes, Zoning Board members voted unanimously to overturn the letter issued to the property owner by the former Building Enforcement Officer, Don Schuman, demanding demolition of the nonconforming building (shed). 

Perhaps it’s now time for a full review of our Village Codes, since we believe it should not take an attorney to “interpret” them, considering the experienced Village Administrator of over thirty years attends most meetings, and apparently, a former contract employee who served as code enforcement officer could not effectively communicate with a property owner in our village.     

The menu of edited recordings from the full meeting can be accessed by clicking here.

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October 19th Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Special Use Permits, Village Code, Zoning Board on October 30, 2015| 1 Comment »

The Village has posted a portion of the recordings from the October meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals.  We understand there were issues with the recording computer, thus the entire meeting is not available for review.

The first matter reviewed was an application for a special use permit for an artificial lake at 300 Donlea Road.  The recording for this discussion is not available, however the permit was approved.

The second agenda item for the meeting was discussion of a shed built in 1961 prior to enactment of current zoning codes that had fallen into disrepair.  Since the shed was positioned against the property line with no setback, it would no longer be considered conforming to codes.

At issue in the two and a half hours of testimony and discussion spent on this topic was whether the structure was repaired or rebuilt by the homeowner as a result of a neighbor’s complaint, and depending on the answer, whether it even qualified to be “grandfathered” so it could remain in its’ original location.  The subject ended up being continued to the November meeting.

The link to the menu of recordings that are available from the meeting can be accessed here.

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September 21st Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Ethics, Politics, Special Use Permits, Village Code, Zoning Board on September 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Village has posted recordings from the September regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals.  The meeting was originally to include three applications for special use permits for artificial lakes, but one was continued to a later date at the request of the applicant.

The meeting lasted over two and a half hours, due in part to an attendee who doggedly interrupted proceedings with issues not related to matters before the board that evening.  This individual, whom publications such as Breitbart Unmasked characterized as a “wingnut” in a December, 2014 article (seen here), repeatedly ignored the requests of the chair to go through the appropriate channels to file her grievances, thus disrupting the proceedings.

Both applications for special use permits were approved with conditions based on individual property circumstances.  The link to the menu of the full meeting recordings can be accessed here.

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August Zoning Board meeting recordings posted

Posted in Audio Recordings, Village Code, Zoning Board on August 28, 2015| 4 Comments »

The Zoning Board of Appeals met on August 17th to review a request for a side yard setback variance for construction of a stable on a property on Aberdeen Drive, which was approved by the board.  The menu of edited recordings by from the meeting can be accessed here.

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July 20th meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Audio Recordings, Commercial Horse Boarding, Road construction, Roads & Bridges Committee, Zoning Board on July 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Village has recently posted audio recordings from two meetings that occurred on July 20th.

The topical menu of Roads & Bridges Committee meeting recordings can be accessed here.

Later that day the Zoning Board of Appeals met, and for the most part, the purpose of the meeting was to orient new members to policies, procedures and duties.  At the end of the meeting, however, Zoning Board attorney Mary Dickson provided an update on pending litigation against the Village, and her comments on that matter can be heard here.

The menu for all the topics covered during their meeting can be accessed here.

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May 18th Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in Audio Recordings, Village Code, Zoning Board on June 1, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Village has released recordings from the May meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals.  To access the menu of edited recording segments, click here.

A summary of the meeting, discussed at the May 27th Village Board meeting, can be viewed here.

 

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March 15th Zoning Board meeting recordings released

Posted in 2015 Elections, Audio Recordings, BH Polo Club, Conflict of interest, Ethics, FRVPC, Politics, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, SOS Party, Zoning Board on March 23, 2015| 4 Comments »

The Village has released recordings from the March 15th Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing regarding the 2015 official Zoning Map, and the special use permit application from the Barrington Hills Polo Club.  A link to the menu of topical recording segments can be found here.

Before opening the hearing, ZBA chair Judy Freeman asked for public comment.  One resident, whose voice has become familiar to many, took the opportunity to speak, and his comments can be heard here.

As we previously reported in “Polo politicking – SOS Party style,” Polo Club President John Rosene was requesting a perpetual renewal of the original five-year special use permit previously granted to his club for the LeCompte Kalaway Cup by the Village in 2011.  In addition, however, Rosene was asking the Village of Barrington Hills to grant his club expanded use of a private road (maintained by homeowners, not the Village), in perpetuity and this was a topic of concern by many on the Board.

Equally concerning to some members was the lack of information and documentation regarding insurance for the polo event.  While the ZBA attorney, Mary Dickson, did mention a private event on private property might not expose the Village to any liability due to accidents or injuries, she did bring up the fact that if our police officers are involved in some form while supporting the event, there might be risk.

A sensible motion to postpone voting on Rosene’s renewal application based on these factors was denied by a 3-2 vote.  Pressing forward as though this was a time-sensitive matter (which it was not, of course), member Anderson moved that the term of the permit be granted for 20 years through the year 2035. That motion failed to pass by a necessary majority vote, and now must go before the Village Board for a decision.

We questioned the timing of Mr. Rosene’s unconventional application for special permit renewal when we first published the March Zoning Board agenda (seen here).

Considering Rosene is a committee member of the SOS Party, perhaps it is potentially part of an SOS campaign plan since he, and his fellow committee members, wasted no time alerting residents in social media and mass emails that the [LeCompte] Kalaway Cup was “Killed” by responsible Zoning Board members looking out for the interests of our Village.

All we can tell readers is to expect more unnecessary drama between now and Election Day on April 7th.  It only serves to distract voters from the material issues in an important election for all residents of Barrington Hills.

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